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Retention
One day in the not-too-distant future, your braces will come off. You'll be free of bands and brackets, able to eat what you want and run your tongue over smooth, clean teeth. But, even on this happy occasion, please remember that you're not quite done with orthodontic treatment yet: The next phase, called retention, is just beginning.
Retention is a critical follow-through stage that typically involves wearing an orthodontic appliance called a retainer. Several different kinds of retainers are available, all of which are custom-made just for you. We will recommend the type (or types) that will work best in your situation, and we'll tell you exactly when and how long you need to wear them.
But if your teeth are straight now, why do you need a retainer at all? Simply put, it's because if you don't wear one, your teeth will start moving right back to where they were!
Teeth aren't set rigidly in the jawbone — instead, they're held in place by a network of fibers called the periodontal ligaments. After they have been moved, it takes several months for the periodontal ligament to adjust to the new position. So if you want to keep that new smile — and not waste all the time, effort, and money it took to get it — it's essential to wear your retainer as directed.
Being fitted for a retainer usually happens on the same day your braces are removed. After your teeth are thoroughly cleaned, we may take another set of X-rays and/or bite impressions, to check how well your braces worked and to see how much your wisdom teeth have developed. Then, we'll discuss your retainer and start getting it ready.
Retainers
Retainers available today;
A Period of Adjustment
After a short time, most people adjust quite well to wearing a retainer. Some may find that they produce more saliva than usual for a day or so after first wearing any type of retainer — a normal reaction to a foreign object in the mouth. You may also find it a little harder to talk normally at first, but that problem will soon disappear. Of course, removable retainers should always be taken out when you eat or brush your teeth — a big change from braces!
Maintaining Your Retainer
To stay fresh and germ-free, all retainers need proper cleaning. A soft toothbrush and a few drops of dishwashing liquid or other mild liquid soap can be used to clean most removable retainers. Denture cleaners, in powder or tablet form, as well as special retainer cleaners, can also be used.
Related Articles
The Importance of Orthodontic Retainers
Decades ago, orthodontists used to think that once teeth were moved into the "right" positions, they would stay there forever. Research over the past thirty years has shown that this is not true — there is no "right" position that can assure a permanent, unchanging result. The only way to be sure the alignment of your teeth and your bite remains stable after orthodontic treatment is to wear retainers as needed and as directed by your orthodontist or dentist…
Why Orthodontic Retainers?
It is common to wear retainers following orthodontic treatment or what people commonly refer to as braces, for good reason. Teeth must be "retained" or stabilized in their new position long enough for the gum tissue, bone and ligament to reform and mature around them, which can take several months. The teeth will tend to relapse into their old position quite rapidly if the retainers are not worn...